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Former Major League Baseball outfielder Jim Edmonds, who played for the St. Louis Cardinals from 2000 to 2007, got very, very salty after a Christopher Morel home run against his former team on Sunday.
In the eighth inning of the Cardinals‘ game against the Cubs, Chicago outfielder Ian Happ hit a solo home run to make the score 7-3 Cubs.
The next batter, designated hitter Christopher Morel, who had also homered in the game, drilled his second bomb of the game, giving the Cubs back-to-back jacks and a 8-3 lead.
Morel, celebrating his achievement, smiled and had a good time rounding the bases before stopping at home plate and posing with both arms extended.
It really wasn’t that big of a deal, especially compared to some other home run celebrations that have been performed the past several years, but Jim Edmonds was having none of it.
“This kid’s celebration is a joke. I don’t mind saying it at all,” Edmonds groused. “I’ve never seen anything like it. I just don’t get it. You’re a .229 hitter in the big leagues and you’re running around like you’re Barry Bonds.”
To his credit, Edmonds’ broadcast partner Chip Caray tried to change the subject, bringing up the fact that the fan who caught the home run ball somehow also caught another home run ball earlier in the game.
“Who caught this ball in left? It’s the same guy!” Caray jumped in, trying to deflect Edmonds’ yelling at clouds.
“Bare hand, camouflage, you can’t see him!” Edmonds joked back, perhaps sensing the awkwardness he created.
“What are the odds of that?” Caray replied. “He’s caught two homers in this game. As we said, the Cubs can’t see him, he’s well-disguised.”
“Well, he’s also taking up plenty of room out there in the outfield,” Edmonds added, taking yet another unnecessary shot at someone just having a good time at the ballpark. “He’s got people kinda blocked off.”
"[Christopher Morel's] celebration is a joke. I don't mind saying it at all. I've never seen anything like it… You're a .229 hitter… and you're running around like you're Barry Bonds." – Jim Edmonds
On the fan that caught it: "He's also taking up plenty of room out there…" pic.twitter.com/htFXqljWzB
— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) July 14, 2024
Reactions on social media to Edmonds’ grouchiness was pretty on point.
I was expecting some over the top celebration and saw...nothing.
"I've never seen anything like it."
*Saw 5 other things very much like it that very same game*
— Bulldog1205 (@bulldog1205) July 14, 2024
“I think he’s more salty that a .229 hitter just hit 2 bombs off his team in one game,” another fan commented.
“Exactly why ppl dislike the Cardinals,” read another comment. “Them and their fans are the fun police.”
“Fat shaming. New low,” someone else observed.
they're ok with this celebration but not morels?pic.twitter.com/2vCYlwfX1T
— Explaining the Cubs (@explaincubs) July 14, 2024